POLL :: Hammer & Sear - What do you want ?

[sinnsyk]

I'm working on a new hammer and sear made from tool steel. I do want to make an alternative hammer and sear to the EGW design. EGW's hammer and sear which is originally from Huening is a great setup, but it doesn't include Double Action and it more often than not requires that you remove the half-cock to make it work properly. I don't like the fact that the half-cock has to be removed and I don't like that we cannot have a quality steel double action alternative to the factory parts we just cannot get a lasting trigger job on.

So here's what I'm proposing and pondering...

Initially I am making the hammer hook and half-cock geometry same as the factory. The big difference is going to be that they will be made from quality tool steel and hardened. This will allow us to do a trigger job that will last. Also I want it to be a fully functional double action alternative. This won't affect the single action function at all, just means we'll have another hole for an optional interruptor (the part that makes DA possible).

I will of course integrate several improvements :

a) the touching sides of the hammer will have a 'boss' on both sides similar to the flat trigger. This will reduce the friction surface and eliminate possible edges of the hammer hitting sides of slide/frame that it shouldn't.

I personally want the lightest possible hammer for a quick ignition. No need to make a heavy slugger. Lock time should be as quick as possible and you can even feel this when you pull the trigger.

c) Shape is all. We can make several designs, no problem. But all comes down to production volume and cost. I could make a factory look hammer, but honestly I don't think you can fool IPSC production rules if that's what you're thinking. And I don't want to try to fool the IPSC rules. IPSC Production guys are probably out of luck until Tanfoglio offers a better setup of they decide to sell my stuff in a far, far distant future ? I would rather focus on developing an innovative and hopefully slightly unique design that when you see it you would say... hey's that's H's hammer isn't it ?

Now it's just putting it all together. I'm hoping to have the first cut parts in a week or so. In the mean time, please help me with your feedback. Once we got the initial CAD done and figured out production we can start the creative process...

If other questions should be asked in this poll, please post so we can get a group input on this.

Thanks for your help !

Henning

[BritinUSA]

A hammer that sits flush with the rear of the slide would look wicked! Not sure if there would be enough mass/inertia to drive the firing pin. An off-the-shelf fitted sear and hammer would be great.

[sinnsyk]

Cool. Thanks for the feedback so far.

Personally I do want the ability to cock the hammer, but I also want it non-dominant and small/light. The ultimate design for the hammer I hope to make stand out and make you go wow. Just need to get the machinist to go for it with me and it will have a distinctive signature look.

[Graham Brammall]

To make the hammer lighter, instead of a boring hole how about make it in the shape of a H, it should look cool and everyone will Know it's a Hennings.

[sinnsyk]

I probably won't make it an H, but rather something that is very light and trick looking.

[J-Ho]

I probably won't make it an H, but rather something that is very light and trick looking.

Make it look like a little viking battle ax.

[BritinUSA]

How about a flush hammer with a drilled/tapped hole in it so you can screw in an optional extra bit if you want to cock the hammer manually?

[Chris Spiess]

Personally, i like the look of the current EGW hammer, but would like it slotted ala the Koenig 1911 hammer. (If i ever get my EGW package and some time at the mill, I'll post a picture. Yes I know it's hardened). I also like the looks of the Nowlin Speed Hammer which is sort of reverse of the Koenig - all in the middle and thin.

Regardless, a performance after market hammer needs to be:

• Through hardened with material and hardness matched to the sear
  
• The sides need to be chamfered to eliminate drag on the frame and slide as much as possible.
  
• The engagement surface of the primary hook needs to be eliminated in the center to allow the half cock position hook to fit between so that the primary and secondary hammer hooks are not engaging the same edges on the sear (take something from the high end 1911 hammers here), or I suppose it could be reversed - primary centered on the sear, secondary on the outside of the sear (does it matter?)
  

As i alluded to above, I am waiting on an EGW hammer/sear right now. Lacking other options at this point, I am planning to chamfer the sides of the hammer to reduce any drag points on the frame/slide, and slot the middle to reduce hammer weight. I'll have a one of a kind I'm sure, but it would be fantastic to have other options. Henning, once i get this little project completed, I can report back on the weight of the hammer and any issues I run into setting off primers. I think i have some small rifle primers I can load up and try out for folks using those as well.

[slavex]

just make one that works for DA, and makes the SA in the Stock II's as nice as possible. Then I'll fly over to Italy and personally drop 100 off at the factory with a request that they finally stock your parts as "factory option" parts.

(ok I can't really afford to do any of that, but it's the though that counts right?)

if you make the profile the same as factory, and then just don't do the cool cuts to a few, I'm sure a number of PD shooters will snap them up. Basically just ignore a machining step.

[sinnsyk]

I've got a drawing of a hammer shape that has a cocker, but is extremely light weight. Looks like a Cobra so if my machinist can make it, it may be named just that.. The Cobra Hammer... (it strikes..) mmmm

[ks-shooter]

I've got a drawing of a hammer shape that has a cocker, but is extremely light weight. Looks like a Cobra so if my machinist can make it, it may be named just that.. The Cobra Hammer... (it strikes..) mmmm

I got into this late, but keeping the ability to cock the hammer is nice for dry firing. That way I do not have to continuosly rack and drop the slide to cock the gun.

[sinnsyk]

I'm definitely going to make it with a cocker. I drew a new style hammer on Saturday which is a skeleton hammer. The cocker is smaller than factory, but very functional. I will check in with the machinist later today to see if he's on board with the skeleton. It will be super light weight and bad ass. Well, we'll see if that's where we'll end up, but so far I like all the numbers on width/height and the skeleton cut-out.